Biden and Modi discussed human rights and democratic values, though Biden acknowledged somewhat reluctantly that Modi spoke about democracy for 10 minutes in his 58 minute speech to the US Congress. However, Modi failed to convince the US political class of his commitment to protecting human rights and minorities in India, as evidenced by the White House's response to BJP trolling of an Indian American reporter for asking Modi about Muslims. On geopolitical issues like Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific region, Modi took a balanced approach without explicitly mentioning Russia and China, reiterating India's support for sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine and a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Biden and Modi discussed human rights and democratic values, though Biden acknowledged somewhat reluctantly that Modi spoke about democracy for 10 minutes in his 58 minute speech to the US Congress. However, Modi failed to convince the US political class of his commitment to protecting human rights and minorities in India, as evidenced by the White House's response to BJP trolling of an Indian American reporter for asking Modi about Muslims. On geopolitical issues like Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific region, Modi took a balanced approach without explicitly mentioning Russia and China, reiterating India's support for sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine and a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Biden and Modi discussed human rights and democratic values, though Biden acknowledged somewhat reluctantly that Modi spoke about democracy for 10 minutes in his 58 minute speech to the US Congress. However, Modi failed to convince the US political class of his commitment to protecting human rights and minorities in India, as evidenced by the White House's response to BJP trolling of an Indian American reporter for asking Modi about Muslims. On geopolitical issues like Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific region, Modi took a balanced approach without explicitly mentioning Russia and China, reiterating India's support for sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine and a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Biden and Modi discussed human rights and democratic values, though Biden acknowledged somewhat reluctantly that Modi spoke about democracy for 10 minutes in his 58 minute speech to the US Congress. However, Modi failed to convince the US political class of his commitment to protecting human rights and minorities in India, as evidenced by the White House's response to BJP trolling of an Indian American reporter for asking Modi about Muslims. On geopolitical issues like Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific region, Modi took a balanced approach without explicitly mentioning Russia and China, reiterating India's support for sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine and a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Not only did Biden discuss the issue of human rights with Modi, he was
constrained to admit somewhat sheepishly that he and Modi had ‘a
good discussion about democratic values’.
This unrelenting onslaught was happening despite Modi speaking on
democracy before the US Congress for almost 10 minutes in his 58 minute speech. The focus on democracy was not lost even when he spoke on climate change, saying ‘A spirit of democracy, inclusion and sustainability defines us’. He claimed that India was working to even ‘democratise supply chains’!
Modi’s failure to convince the US political class about his commitment
to protecting human rights, especially of minorities, is important because he went to great lengths to convince them of this. The White House’s public response to the BJP-led Islamophobic trolling of an Indian American reporter for asking Modi a question about Muslims gives us an indication of what the Biden administration really thinks about the Modi government’s record. First Lady Jill Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden at the White House. Photo: Twitter/@WhiteHouse.
Russia and China
On global geopolitics, Modi, despite theatrics, and there were many,
chose the path of balance. Without mentioning Russia and China, he alluded to them in the context of the war in Ukraine and in the context of developments in the Asia Pacific region. US Congressmen gave him a standing ovation when he called for ‘respect for sovereignty and integrity’ in the context of the war in Ukraine, and when he said ‘we share a vision of a free open and inclusive Indo-Pacific connected by secure seas’. On the Quad, Modi’s comment, ‘the Quad has emerged as a major force of good for the region’ was quite bland. In an hour- long speech, the total time devoted to Ukraine was about one minute and to the Indo-Pacific about two minutes.
On Ukraine, Modi was reiterating the exact position that ambassador
T.S. Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to UN, had taken on February 25, 2022 while abstaining on the UNSC’s ‘Adoption of Resolution on the situation in Ukraine’. His stand on the Indo-Pacific was exactly the position taken by defence minister Rajnath Singh on November 23, 2022 at the ‘9th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting’ at Siem Reap, Cam